Stuffing box



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R. M. WEEKS STUFFING BOX Filed Oct.

i Patented May "12, 1931 UNITEIS STATES nanrnnr. Wm. on NEW bonnoiv, commcrrcur, assrenon. 'ro mare BOAT com- PATENT OFFICE PAN'Y, Q1 GROTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION. OF NEW JERSEY STUFFING BOX Application filed October 29, 1928. Serial No. 315,652. r

This invention relates to stufiing boxes and similar structures, and more particularly to a stufiing box specially adapted for use on submarine boats.

. U In submarine boats space is at a premium .and the cables for conveying current to different localities on the boat are, of necessity, stacked or banked close together. These cables pass through stufiing boxes which 19 are secured through the bulkheadsyof the boat. It is of the utmost importance that these stuffing boxes remain-both gas and watertight, particularly in the event of collision or other accident to the boat. Due to the necessity of banking the cables close together it is impracticable, and in tact frequently impossible, to repack or ad ust the stufiing boxes after they have once been installed and the boat has gone into service. The stufiing boxes for the cables are commonly packed with hemp packing and grease. After the boxes have been in use for some time, the grease dries up and the packing loosens, with the result that the stufling box'is no longer pressure resistant and gas and watertig t. A further objec tion to the common type of stufling boxes now-in use is that such boxes cannot be adjusted from the blind side of the bulkhead, that is, from the side opposite to that at which the gland nut is disposed, even if it were otherwise possible to get at the stuffing box and adjust the same. v

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a stufling box having associated therewith means whereby a suitable sealing fluid can be injected into the packing space of the box from either side of the bulkhead, whereby the box ma be rendered pressure resistant and gas an watertight. By periodically injecting a suitable fluid into the packing space, the box can be maintained in aleakproof condition. In the event of a casualty,if the box should be found to be leaking, it can be quickly rendered leaktight by injecting the sealing fluid into the 4 box from either side of the bulkhead. A further object of my invention is to provide 'a stufling box which will assure a gas and 59 Watertight closure about a member passing through the box and provided with an irregular or indented outer surface, such as an armored cable.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear :from the detailed descri tion.

In t e drawings Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view through a stufling box constructed in accordance with my lnvention, as applied to an armored cable; and

I Fig. 2 is a view similar toFig. 1, showing the box as applied to a member having a smooth outer surface.

I have illustrated. my stufling box as applied to a partition member 1,'such as, a bulkhead in a submarine boat. This "memberis provided with an openin 2, throu h which is inserted a reduce exteriofiy threaded neck 3 which extends from body 4 of a stufling box 5. The bod 4 is bored out from its other end to provi e a packing space 6 and is interiorly threaded for reception of a gland nut 7 which screws into the body. and compresses packing 8, disposed in space 6, about a cable 9 whichpasses through the stufling box. This cable is provided with a lead sheathing 10 and is enclosed in an armor 11. This armor is formed of steel wireswoven to ether in a basket weave over the lead s eathing 10; The

outer surface of cable 9 is, therefore, un- I even and provided, 1n eflect, w1th numerous indentations orspaces between the interractice the central portion of packing space 6.

This duct opens, at its outer end, 'into a tubular nipple or fitting 13 which screws into a boss 14 extending from body 4. The fitting 13 is of known construction, bein that provided by the Alemite Company, an comprises an inwardly opening valve 15 normally held in closed or seated position by a spring 16. The fitting is also, providedwith' outwardly projecting pins 17 for co,opera I resistantclosure between the stu tion with slots in a sleeve or tubular element at one end of'a tube which is connected at its other end to a suitable grease gun or other suitable source of supply of grease or otherfluid under pressure.

A nut 18 is screwed onto neck 3 at the opposite side of the partition member or bulkead 1 from body 4: and is turned up tight against a washer 19 confined between the nut'and the bulkhead and co-acting therewith to provide a fluid, tight and ressure flin box 4 and the bulkhead. This nut is provide with port opens into a duct 22 extending I such as oil or grease into the packing 8 rening such spaces and assurm with the result that the box is ders it possible to obtaina gas and watertight closure about an armored cable. This is probably due to the fact that the .oil or grease acts as a lubricant tov facilitate entry of the packing into the interstices of'the armor and about the cable,'and this oil or grease also probably acts to fill any of' the smaller spaces about the cable into which the packing does not readily penetrate, seala gas and watertight closure about the ca le. .As previously noted, after a stufiingbox has been in use for some time, the oil or rease in the packing dries out and the pac no longer pressure resistant, and gas and watertight.

It is possible, by m .invention, to inject grease-or oil into the ox and into the packing space 6 thereof periodically, so as to assure that the stufling box is maintained in proper condition to form a gas and watert'g t closure about the cable. A further advantage of my invention is that the sealing fluid can be injected into the packing space 6 of the stufiing box from either side of the ulkhead 1. In practice each compartment of the submarine boat will carry a grease gun and an adequate supply of grease or I -other'sealing fluid. In the event of collias Fig. 1, and described it oil into the stuffing sion or other accident, men at the blind side of the bulkhead 1 can inject grease or box in the event that water or gas ten 5 to leak through this box. This is highly advantageous, as will be appreciated.

While I have illustrated ,my invention in opening the nut 18as by" 'ng' loosens" .second fitting carried by above, as being ap-' the other sideof the partition and having a plied particularly to armored cables, it is also well adapted for various other uses.-

As an example, it is of use in connection as leads for steering gear, stern tubes, mo-

with shafting or other movable parts, such tor shafts and various other members of like nature extending. through bulkheads. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the stufling boxas used in connection with a member 26 having a smoothouter surface and which may be considered 'as corresponding to a shaft, lead or other member extending through the bulkhead 1.

Under certain conditions, it may be de-.

sirable to form a permanent joint about the member passing through the stufling box.

When this is desired, instead of forclng oil or grease into the stuffing box tolubricate the flax-packing, red-lead, litharge and gl 0- erine, or other substances, which will e ec-...

tively close all spaces about the cable or other member passing through the stufling box and will harden, is injected into the packing space 6. It is thus possible, by my invention, to maintain the stulfing box in gas and watertightconditionat all times from either side of the bulkhead or partition member, or, if desired, to provide a permanent gas and Watertight closure about the cable or other member when this becomes desirable.

What I claim is j 1. In combination, a partition, a stufiing box comprising a body havinga reduced neck extending through the partition, the

ion

body having a packing space and being provided with two ducts communicating with said space, one of the ducts opening through the body" and the other duct extending through the neck and opening therethrough at the opposite side of the partition-from said body, a nut screwed onto the neck and cooperating with 'saic body for clamping the stuffing box'to he partition, means forming a fluid tight closure between said stufling box and the partition, the nut having a circumferential groove in its inner face encompassing the outer opening of the neck duct and the nut having a duct opening into said groove, tubular fittings secured in the outer ends of the body duct and the nut duct, respectively, and inwardly opening valves normally closing said fittings.

2. In combination, a partition, a stufling box havingl a neck extending through the partition and a shoulder contacting one face of said partition, said stufling box having a packing space, a nut screwing onto. said neck at the other side of the partition and cothe stufiing box to said partition, a tubular fitting carried by the nut and having anormally closed inwardly opening valve, and a said stufling box at operating with said shoulder for clamping T normall closed inwardly opening valve, the stufling ox and the nut having ducts establishing communication between said fittings and the packing space.

3. In combination, a partition, a stufiing box having a body and a neck extending therefrom through the partition, means securing the stuffing box to the partition and forming a fluid tight closure therebetween, said means including a nut screwing onto the neck, said body having a packing space, and means for injecting sealing fluid into said space through the nut at one side of the partition or through the body at the other side of the partition, optionally, and while the st-ufling box remains in assembled condition.

4. In combination, a partition, a stuffing box having a body and a neck extending therefrom through the partition, a member extending through the stufling box and having depressions in its outer surface, a nut screwing onto the neck at the opposite side of the partition from the body, said stuffing box comprising a packing surrounding said member and a gland nut for compressing said packing, means for injecting a sealing fluid through the body into the packing while the stufiing box remains in assembled condition, and means for injectin a sealing fluid through the nut into the pac ing while thestufiing box remains assembled.

5. In combination, a stuflin box comprising. a body and a neck extendlng therefrom, said body having a packing space, a nut screwing onto the neck, means for injecting sealing fluid through the nut into said space, and means for injecting sealing fluid through the body into the sealing space.

6. In combination, a stufling'box com rising a body and a neck extending there rom, said body having a packing space, a nut screwing onto the neck, a tubular fitting carried by the nut and having a normally closed inwardly 0 ening valve, and a similar fitting carrie by the body, the body and the nut having ducts establishing communication between the packing space of the body and the fittings.

7. In combination, a partition, a stufling box structure extending through the partition and having an abutment'contacting one side of the partition and holding the structure against movement through the partition in one direction, and securing means.

at the other side of the partition holding the stufiing box structure against movement through the partition in the other direction, the stufiing box structure being provided with a packing space and said structure and the securing means having 'communicatlng ducts opening at opposite sides of the partition, said ducts opening into the packing space.

8. In combination, a partition, a stuflin box extending through the partition an having a shoulder contacting one face of said partition, securing means contacting the other side of the partition and including a nut screwing onto the stufiing box, the stuffing box havmg a packing space and said box and the nut being provided with ducts opening at opposite sides of the partition and communicating with said space.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 22 day of Oct., 1928.

RALPH M. WEEKS. 

